I am Lama, a 17 year old girl from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Challenge is the most appropriate word that describes me. I participated in many competitions when ever there is a chance, even though it is stressful, but I enjoy it. At the beginning, I was worried that I would lose my hard work without any achievement, but my passion for new things always succeeds.
I joined the volunteering group of Saudi Red Crescent to help patients. Helping others and making a difference to the people’s lives is very important to me. Beside volunteering and social activities, I’m an adventurous person who likes traveling a lot and having friends from different countries. In addition, I enjoy cycling , walking , and playing volleyball and pingpong.
What made me choose this course is that I haven’t been able to choose my major. Since I like science in general, It’s pretty difficult to choose one. I like something related to physics, chemistry and biology somehow. I think when we go to the molecular level the relation among these branches of science appears clearly. That’s why synthetic biology caught my attention. I think I will enjoy it.
What is electric bacteria ?Electric bacteria (EB) is a type of bacteria which is capable of using energy in it’s purest form by eating and excreting electrons.[1,2,18] Nealson and his colleagues have grown electric bacteria on battery electrodes, keeping them alive with electricity and nothing else.[3] these microbes harvest electrons from rocks and metals.
What are the types of EB ?Many researchers around the world have identified up to 8 different of bacteria that consume electricity. Those bacteria are different from each other.[3,7] The earliest discovered types were Geobacter and Shewenella.
Geobacter is a genus of protebacteria.Geobacter is an anaerobic respiration bacterial species which have capabilities that make them useful in bioremediation. It is able to transfer electrons outside the cell and transport these electrons over long distances via conductive filaments known as microbial nanowires. Geobacter was found to be the first organism with the ability to oxidase. organic compounds and metals, including iron, radioactive metals and petroleum compounds into environmentally carbon dioxide while using iron oxide or other available metals as electron acceptor.[8,10] Geobacter have been found in anaerobic conditions in soils and aquatic sediment.[9]
Shewenella is the sole genus included in Shewanellaceae family of marine bacteria. Shewanella bacteria is a normal component of the surface flora of fish which is implicated in fish spoilage. [11] This deep-sea bacteria grows oxygen-seeking nanowires when placed in low-oxygen environments. Researchers discovered that when the microbes nanowires are pricked with platinum electrodes, and they can carry a current. If these capabilities can be harnessed effectively.[5]
How EB was discovered ?The sediment from the seabed was collected. Electrodes were inserted into it. First the natural voltage across the sediment was measured, before applying a slightly different one. A slightly higher voltage offered an excess of electrons; a slightly lower voltage meant that the electrode is willing to accept electrons from anything willing to pass them off. Bacteria in the sediments can either “eat” electrons from the higher voltage, or “breathe” electrons on to the lower-voltage electrode, generating a current. The researchers considered that picked up current as a signal of the type of life they have captured.[2]
What are EB applications ?With the help of synthetic biology, it will be possible to design biological synthetic systems to generate power, new medical applications, nanoscale biological computers, new approaches to cleaning up dangerous waste or sensitive biosensors for health or security applications.[4] One of the applications is what UC-Santa Cruz-Biological Engineering team is working on. They reported that ‘they are designing a self-sustaining microbial fuel cell (MFC) that uses bacteria to break down organic compounds found in waste water, and generate an electric current. This is a sustainable way to generate power from waste material, with the potential of achieving over 50% energy efficiency. Santa Cruz’s project will focus on genetically engineering the bacteria Shewanella oneidensis in ways that will make the microbial fuel cell more efficient’. [6] Another application is to be able to produce another source of power to overcome the problem of decreased petroleum, and carbon dioxide emissions. Daniel Bond’s team from the University of Minnesota are working on isolating bacteria that can grow on the surface of electrodes and be used to release energy in the form of electricity from renewable biological sources. [13] Moreover, Lars Peter Nielsen and his colleagues at Aarhus University in Denmark have found that tens of thousands of electric bacteria can join together to form “daisy chains” that carry electrons over several centimeters which is a huge distances for a bacterium.[3]
What are the Pros and Cons ?Every thing has it’s pros and cons, with new discovered technologies comes problems that need to be solved. A good example for that is the discovery of oil which is a source for energy. It manufactured a lot of usable materials . EB is good for the environment it converts waste into fuel and doesn't depend on Fossil Fuels. In addition, EB provides a sustainable, renewable energy. However, Large areas of land are needed to create enough electricity, and all studies were in vitro. [14,15,16,17]
I am Lama, a 17 year old girl from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Challenge is the most appropriate word that describes me. I participated in many competitions when ever there is a chance, even though it is stressful, but I enjoy it. At the beginning, I was worried that I would lose my hard work without any achievement, but my passion for new things always succeeds.
I joined the volunteering group of Saudi Red Crescent to help patients. Helping others and making a difference to the people’s lives is very important to me. Beside volunteering and social activities, I’m an adventurous person who likes traveling a lot and having friends from different countries. In addition, I enjoy cycling , walking , and playing volleyball and pingpong.
What made me choose this course is that I haven’t been able to choose my major. Since I like science in general, It’s pretty difficult to choose one. I like something related to physics, chemistry and biology somehow. I think when we go to the molecular level the relation among these branches of science appears clearly. That’s why synthetic biology caught my attention. I think I will enjoy it.
What is electric bacteria ?Electric bacteria (EB) is a type of bacteria which is capable of using energy in it’s purest form by eating and excreting electrons.[1,2,18] Nealson and his colleagues have grown electric bacteria on battery electrodes, keeping them alive with electricity and nothing else.[3] these microbes harvest electrons from rocks and metals.
What are the types of EB ?Many researchers around the world have identified up to 8 different of bacteria that consume electricity. Those bacteria are different from each other.[3,7] The earliest discovered types were Geobacter and Shewenella.
Geobacter is a genus of protebacteria.Geobacter is an anaerobic respiration bacterial species which have capabilities that make them useful in bioremediation. It is able to transfer electrons outside the cell and transport these electrons over long distances via conductive filaments known as microbial nanowires. Geobacter was found to be the first organism with the ability to oxidase. organic compounds and metals, including iron, radioactive metals and petroleum compounds into environmentally carbon dioxide while using iron oxide or other available metals as electron acceptor.[8,10] Geobacter have been found in anaerobic conditions in soils and aquatic sediment.[9]
Shewenella is the sole genus included in Shewanellaceae family of marine bacteria. Shewanella bacteria is a normal component of the surface flora of fish which is implicated in fish spoilage. [11] This deep-sea bacteria grows oxygen-seeking nanowires when placed in low-oxygen environments. Researchers discovered that when the microbes nanowires are pricked with platinum electrodes, and they can carry a current. If these capabilities can be harnessed effectively.[5]
What are EB applications ?With the help of synthetic biology, it will be possible to design biological synthetic systems to generate power, new medical applications, nanoscale biological computers, new approaches to cleaning up dangerous waste or sensitive biosensors for health or security applications.[4]
One of the applications is what UC-Santa Cruz-Biological Engineering team is working on. They reported that ‘they are designing a self-sustaining microbial fuel cell (MFC) that uses bacteria to break down organic compounds found in waste water, and generate an electric current. This is a sustainable way to generate power from waste material, with the potential of achieving over 50% energy efficiency. Santa Cruz’s project will focus on genetically engineering the bacteria Shewanella oneidensis in ways that will make the microbial fuel cell more efficient’. [6] Another application is to be able to produce another source of power to overcome the problem of decreased petroleum, and carbon dioxide emissions. Daniel Bond’s team from the University of Minnesota are working on isolating bacteria that can grow on the surface of electrodes and be used to release energy in the form of electricity from renewable biological sources. [13] Moreover, Lars Peter Nielsen and his colleagues at Aarhus University in Denmark have found that tens of thousands of electric bacteria can join together to form “daisy chains” that carry electrons over several centimeters which is a huge distances for a bacterium.[3]
What are the Pros and Cons ?Every thing has it’s pros and cons, with new discovered technologies comes problems that need to be solved. A good example for that is the discovery of oil which is a source for energy. It manufactured a lot of usable materials . EB is good for the environment it converts waste into fuel and doesn't depend on Fossil Fuels. In addition, EB provides a sustainable, renewable energy. However, Large areas of land are needed to create enough electricity, and all studies were in vitro. [14,15,16,17]
References
Image sources :
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0eHpEEq4QRXdThNbVNUeUtTeGs